Old Afghani Pashtun Silk Ilgitsh Embroidery Pair – Collectible

These wonderful old Pashtun tribal silk “ilgitsh” textile panels were hand-embroidered in Afghanistan in the early to mid-1900s. Ilgitsh panels had multiple functions in the nomadic Afghan home, or yurt.

They could be found hung on opposite sides of the family's stacked textiles, as elegant food coverings (Lali Posh), or sewn together like envelopes to make decorative purses and bags.

These beautiful and practical embroideries were also often stitched onto dress bodices, making extravagant colorful garments.

Ilgitsh designs are said to provide talismanic powers of protection. The complex designs hold great personal and cultural significance to the embroiderer and her clan. Repeating geometric shapes, stylized flourishes, and animal motifs promise a life of abundance and well-being.

The deep green color of the base fabric was frequently used by the Patika Pashtun tribe from the Afghan Ghazni Province.

About Afghan Embroidery: Afghan men would spin the threads, but it was the Afghan women who became the expert embroiderers, learning as children from their mothers and local village women. Embroidery was a social activity, with different sections being completed by different women, especially with larger pieces.

An elite group of women became skilled finishers, sought out throughout the village to complete the final touches on a piece that had been embroidered by others. On these ilgitsh, for example, a skilled finisher completed the yellow-bead borders intended to ward off the evil eye.

The dense chain stitching in orange, red, and purple threads on silk fabric here is indicative of the Paktika Pashtuns of Southeastern Afghanistan, known for their fine textiles and embroidery.